Christmas Glimpses

We traveled from 8 p.m. to about 5 a.m. the morning before these were taken to get to Reno before a the big storm.  It was actually pretty good since the girls slept most of the way.  Mom and Jessica (and I'm sure Camille and Nigel) were nice enough to play with the girls while Jeff and I slept in the next day.  

Daddy and the girls making a snowman...while mom watches in the warm house taking pictures (just where I wanted to be).

The start of our newest tradition:  We gave each of the girls an ornament to put on the tree.  They will get a new one every year to open when it's time to decorate the Christmas tree.  My mom had this little tree up and ready for us when we got there. Thanks Mom!

Daddy helping Norah.  

Her ornament was so cute...a little chubby snow baby angel with wings that says "Joy".  

Spending one of many late nights working on gifts that I didn't get done before we left.

We gave the twins little Melissa and Doug play house/barn so I made little peg dolls for them to play with inside their houses/barn.  They were so fun to make and the girls actually like them. (bonus) :)

Grandma adding the finishing touch to the girls' Christmas outfits.  

Notice Norah's black eye...she ran into a chest and had a cute little shiner for about four days. 

That's just a precious picture.

and that one too.

I love this picture.  Everyone leaving for church.

One of Maisy's first tastes of the magic of Christmas

Maisy helped Jessica build a fire :)

The beautiful lady behind it all.  I wish I could jump through this screen and hug her.  Thanks for EVERYTHING Mom! 

These kids couldn't get enough of Grandpa

Frosted Windowpanes !!!!

and then there's death...or The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (aka Sarah...and it looks like she has plans for Cedric).

He doesn't seem to mind...I guess I'd better explain...Cousin Jessica who is living with my parents helping to care for Grandma Dahl invited us all to a Charles Dickens party...we were also invited to dress up as one of the Characters from one of his books/writings.  So Cedric was the Ghost of Christmas Present...let's just say this man was made for this costume.

The happy couple

Jeff lookin' good and wondering how he ever got himself into this crazy family.

Camille looking great

Some yummy fruit...

Checkin' in on the Wassail

No matter what I do, blogger is NOT going to let me turn this picture the right way.  But I still had to post this.   

A little peasant girl complete with no shoes...Don't you just want to bring her inside and keep her warm?!

This is what Grandma did most of the time...I hope she had turned down her hearing aids...it was a loud/crazy house most of the time. She was a trooper and smiled most of the time.She'll be 94 this year.

Some other crazy characters.  What? You didn't know that Charles Dickens wrote Batman?!

Enjoying the food.  It was really good Jessica!

I think we were The Crachits...

Then there's this guy who I think enjoyed dressing up almost as much as Cedric.

Jessica's dress was amazing.  She sewed it herself...seriously cool.  One little note, this is really what my dad sleeps in.  He's had this particular gown for years now...I think the hat is new. One of the many reasons I love him.

Micah doing a very convincing Jacob Marley

Just a fraction of the spread...seriously so much amazing food.

Jordo...I don't know who he was?  Fezziwig?  I didn't get Ruthie and Britta and Clint and Tavan hadn't made it yet.  The next night we had and "In-law Party" which was fun...Ruth, Sarah and Jeff's parents all came and ate and talked...we went downstairs and the girls found this little guy in the diaper pail outside...

kind of cute I'll have to admit.

The next day Grandpa took all of the little '03-'04 generation on a little ride.  They LOVED it!

Scouter and Laurel getting in some quality cousin time as well as Norah and Rebeca...

sharing some food.

This little girl is so sweet!  She had quite a time later that week...complete with an Emergency Room trip for a bladder infection on Christmas Eve (not to mention major teething).  Poor baby.  But she was doing much better before they left and was a little trooper. Not to mention her amazing mama Ruthie...

The view one morning...

Baby Baxter...was a cutie!

Britta and Clint and Co. came Christmas Eve so we celebrated her birthday with a Birthday Breakfast.

I got her a Silhouette that she has been wanting for a long time.  This girl never asks for anything people so when she said one day that all she wanted was a Silhouette I knew I had to get it somehow (thanks Paper Dolls).  Her reaction was so perfect...it was the highlight of my holiday! :)

Christmas Eve program...Grandpa looking very festive

Elsa Lou Lou

Calvin and Britta played a great duet

Nigel recited the whole "Twas the Night Before Christmas" seriously amazing!

Jordan and Ruth did a cute story that required bells to be rung at every specific word that I can't remember now.  I had to put this picture of Maisy doing her face that she only does when she's overwhelmed by excitement...She usually opens her mouth like that and then shakes her arms really fast...it's hilarious and a little disturbing. :)

I love this face...the end.

Nigel and Scout getting some cousin kissin' in after Scouts Sea Lion impersonation...she did very well.

That night the girls opened their Christmas Eve pajama's and slippers

 The best shot we could get that night.

 Norah kissed Grandpa probably twenty times that night...she loves to kiss on the lips!

 heading to bed

 Our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve

 Christmas morning!  I think we could have just done stockings and they would have been thrilled.  They were so happy..

 Maisy with her barn complete with animals and a family of farmers (oh yeah and Snow White)

 Norah loving her pop up toy

 Laurel loving her little house complete with wood furniture and a couple of families (and Cinderella don't forget)

 After each family had their little Christmas together we all headed upstairs to this!

 Fun, fun fun.

Maisy got a Pooh Bear from Grandma...LOVED it.  

And this my friends is where the battery on my camera died and where we were sure we left the charger at home (we found out as we were packing the car to come home that it was in fact in the camera carrier) so I didn't get any pictures of Tavan with his kidlets (they came the next day) or any of the fun stuff that happened after Christmas day.  Just know it was a great time. 

Then of course waiting for us when we got home was a whole other set of presents/fun from the Stevensons!  We had a faux Christmas/Jeff's Birthday celebration last Sunday:

 Brittany's gift of mittens was a big hit (especially with Laurel..she wears hers all the time).

 Helping Norah open her gift

This gift is one of my favorites...it keeps the girls busy for a while and all of the boxes collapse into each other so it doesn't take a lot of space...Good job Grandma!

 Maisy getting the hang of the "Sit and Spin" :)

Grandpa getting the cool phone out.  They love this one too.

So there is just a 10th of what actually happened.  It was such a fun year...so great that the twins "got it" a lot more this year...I can't wait for next year to really start some traditions and see what they learn from it all.

Merry Christmas again and hope your year has been great so far!